Rail anchor



Feb. 14, 1928.- 1,658,991

C. M. KNAPP RAIL ANCHOR Filed May 17. 1926 [L1 a]: Enue M. KTIEP P Patented Feb; 14, 1928.

UNITED STA CLARENCE M. Khmer, or GICERO, INDIANA.

RAIL ANCHOR.

Application filed May 1'7, 1926. 'Serial No. 109,682.

The present invention relates to improvements 1n rail anchors or anti-creepers, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character adapted'for positioning upon the base flange of railroad rails andenagageable with an object, preferably the sleeper or cross tie for the rails, in a manner, for preventing creeping of the rails longitudinally in the direction of traffic. A further object of theinvention is to provide an improved type of rail anchor being of a resilient nature and adapted for clamping engagement with the rail base and engageable with the cross tie in a manner whereby tendency of the rail to creep longitudinally will increase the biting action of a the anchor upon the rail. A further object of the invention is to provide a rail anchor embodyinga pair of terminally disposed jaw portions for biting engagement with the upper face and side edges of the rail base'in a manner whereby the anchor will not be affected by the vibration of traffic moving along the rails, and which anchor is also of a nature to permit of its being elongated for ready applying of the anchor to the under side of the rail base.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description,

forming a part of this specification and in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a railroad rail and tie therefore, and showing the improved anchor in position.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view ofthe rail and showing the anchor applied thereto and engaging the tie for the rail. a

Figure 3 is'a section on line 33 of Fig- I ure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows. 1

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the rail and showing the anchor in end elevation as appliedto the rail.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a sheet or-bar/ of steel andshowing the anchors blank form for stamping.

Figure 6 is a View on a reduced scale, taken substantially on line66 of Figure 3, and showing the manner in which certain portions, of the j caused tobite into the railupon tendency of the ran-ta move in the direction of the $5 alfws i i Q Referring to the drawing in detail, and

laid out in taken in connection with the accompanying drawing jaws 20 which aws of the anchor will be wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A designates a railroad rail of ordinary construction, B a supporting tie for the rail A, andC the improved anchor for preventing creeping'of the rail A. longitudinally or transversely of the tie B. I i

The rail A embodies the usual base flange 10 adapted to rest upon the upper surface of the tie B, and be secured to the tie as' by'the usual spikes or fastening elements 11 engag ing the opposite edges of the flange.

The anchor'G which is formed from the blanks 12 cut or stamped preferably from a flat bar of steel, is preferably bent into the formation shown, and'then treated or termpered for rendering the anchor of a resilient nature. This resiliency of the anchor serves for permitting applying of the device to the rail base, and after application of the anchor, serves forretaining the anchor in proper position upon the rail. I

The blanks 12 are bowed transversely at their medial lines for forming a bearing loop 13 provided with an arcuate bearing face 14 adapted to engage one longitudinal side face 15 of the tie B. The arms 16 of the'bearing loop'13 extend rearwardly in converging relation and terminate in outwardly or oppositely bent spring 'lo0ps'17. Extending from the outer end of the spring loops, are forwardly diverging arms 18' the forward ends of which terminatein a plane rearwardly of the bearing face 14 as is clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. These 7 arms 18, which may be termed clamping arms, are provld'ed at their forward or outer ends with jaws 20 which are adapted for biting engagement, at an angle, with the opposite edges of the base flange 10. These extend upwardly from the major upper surface 21 of the anchor, are adapted to overlie the edge portionsof the base vflange at an angle to the longitudinal center of the rail in a manner forretaining the anchor upon the flange, and which overlying portionhy reason of itscontac't with a theupper inclined surface of the base flange, also servesas a further gripping portion for the jaws; As will be observed in Figure 4, themajor upper surface 21 of the anchor engages throughout :the bottom face ofthe base flange 10 and by reason of the jaws 20 engaging; the" base flange at an angle as clearly shown in Figure 1; the anchor is edges '25 of the toward one another into biting With the edges of ment with the opposite edges of the base flange, as will be readily apparent. The anchor may then be readily slid longltudinally of the base flange for bringing the bearing face let into bearing engagement with the side face of the tie B. As will'be observed in Figurefl, this sliding of the anchor toward the tie B may be readily accomplished. since no material biting action will be had by the jaws when moving along the side edges of the base flange in a direc tion toward the tie. It may here again be mentioned that when the bearing face 14- engages the tie B, the forward ends of the clamping arms 18 are spaced from the tie.

Normally, the distance between the jaws 20 is less than the width of the base flange 10, and after the anchor is applied to the base flange the spring tension of the anchor holds the jaws tightly in place against the longitudinal edges of the base flange. The inward pressure of the spring tension, securely holds the anchor in place even though no strain of creepage 1s being exerted against the bearing loop 13 b Itherail A. As a pressure is applied to the bearing loop 13, owing to a tendency of the rail A to move in Figureti, this pressure of the arcuate bearing face 14 against the side face 15 of the tie B, causes the loop 13 to be expanded and the free ends of the arms 16 to spread slightly from one another which in turn swings the, free ends of the forwardly diverging clamping arms 18 toward one another in a manner for causing the gripping jaws 20 to grip more firmly the side edges of the base flange 10. This inward swinging of the fr e ends of the clamping arms 18 is made possible by the normal tendency of the jaws 20 to swing engagement the base flange 10. This biting action of the jaws 20 with the side edges of the base flange 10 upon tendency of the rail to shift longitudinally, is clearly illustrated in Figure 6. As will also be apparent in Figure 6, by'so having the clamping arms 18 extending in diverging relation toward the tie B, that movement of the rail A in the direction of the arrow X will cause i the sharp gripping edges to bite into the side edges of the base flange 10.

When the anchor is in service, 1t will side face of a jaws 20, due to the in a direction of the arrow X' with the side face readily be apparent thattendency of the rail to creep inthe direction of the trafliowlll he efiectively checked by reason of the bitlng action ofthe jaws 20 caused by engagement of the bearing loop 13 with the cross tie for the rail.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a novel and etlicient type of resilient rail anchor has been provided which may be economicall manufactured, which is capable of ready attachment to the base flange of railroad rail and which when in service will effectively check tendency of the rail to creep in the direction of travel upon the rails.

Ghanges in detail may be made in the specific form of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A rail anchor comprising an intermediate bearing loopfor engagement with one side of a tie for the rail, and resilient clamp ing arms arranged at each side of the bearloop for biting engagement with the base flange of the rail.

2. A rail anchor comprising an intermediate bearing loop for engagement with one tie for the rail, andresilient clamping arms arranged at each side of the bearing loop and extending in forwardly diverging relation for bitingv engagement at their outer ends with the opposite edges of the base flange of the rail.

3. A resilient rail anchor comprising an intermediate bearing loopv for engagementof a tie for the rail, and

bearing loop and each having a jaw formed its outer end for biting engagement with the side edges of the base flange of the rail.

A rail anchor comprising an interme* diate bearing loop for engagement with one side face of a tie for the rail, and clamping armsyieldably connected with the rear por tion of the bearing loop and extending forwardly in diverging relation at each side of theloep for engagement with the side edges of the base flange of the rail rearwardly of the engaging portion of the bearing loop of the tie.

5. A resilient rail anchor comprising an intermediate loop portion provided with an arcuate bearing face, and resilient clamping arms extending from the rear of the loop portion at each side of the loop, and extending in forwardly diverging longitudinal center line of the rail.

6. A resilient rail anchor comprising an intermediate loop portion'provided with a forwardly disposed arcuate bearing face and rearwardly converging arms, and clamping arms yieldably connected at the rear portions of said loop arms and extending forrelation to the '8. A resilient rail anchor comprising an intermediate bearing loop for engagement with one side face of a tie for the rail, resilientclamping arm's arranged at each side of the bearing loop, and jaws formed at the outer end of each clamping arm and having portions overlying the .upper surfaceof the base flange of the rail and extending at an angle to the length of the rail.

9. A resilient rail anchor comprising an intermediate bearing loop having an arcti-v ate bearing face at its forward end rear end, and clai'nping arms extending forwardly and at an angle from each of the spring loops and having aws formed at outwardly of their respective and having oppositely bent sprlng, loops at its their outer ends disposed in a plane between the bearing face and spring loops of the bearing loop.

10. A rail anchor formed of a single strip of metal bent centrally of its ends for forming a loop portion provided witha forward arcuate bearing face and rearwardly converging arms,

extending forwardly in from the oppositely bent jaws formed at their outer ends provided with gripping edges disposed rearwardly of diverging relation the plane of the, arcnatebearing-face.

11. A resilient rail anchor comprising an intermediate spring bearing loop having a bearing face for of a tie for the rail at the longitudinal center oi the rail.,-iand clamping arm's integrally and yieldably connected with the spring bearing loop and having jaws. engaging the oppositelongitudinal edges of the base flange ot the railwhereby npon tendency ofthe ail to creep in a direction toward the tie,

drawn into further biting the jawswill be engagement with the edges of the base flange.

CLARENCE M. KNAPP.

oppositely bent loops at the .rearends of the arms, andclamplng arms loops and having engagement with one face 

